Codex Egberti

This codex was commissioned by the Archbishop Egbert of Trier. It is associated with the important abbey of Reichenau, which was located on an island of Lake Constance.

It contains the earliest picture cycle (51 narrative pictures) on the Life of Christ in the entire history of book painting. The Gospel Pericopes, or Evangelistary, referred to as the Codex Egberti represents the readings from the four Gospels throughout the ecclesiastical year on 165 folios. The codex was illustrated by the Master of the Registrum Gregorii and various unknown illuminators.

The manuscript opens with a dedication and a portrait of the Bishop on a double page in gold and purple. The picture shows folio 2 with the dedicatory picture of "Egbertus." Two monks at Egbert's feet, Kerald and Heribert of Reichenau, present the volume to the donor. This is followed by four impressive full-page illustrations of the Evangelists.